THANJAVUR: The Thanjavur Big Temple Rights Retrieval committee on Monday alleged that chanting of Tamil hymns was not being allowed inside the yagasalai where rituals for the consecration were underway.P Maniyarasan, coordinator of the committee, told media that Odhuvars were not allowed inside the yagasalai and that rituals in Sanskrit alone was taking place in the yagasalai. This, he said, contravened the affidavit filed by Hindu Religious and Charitable Endownments (HR&CE) department before the Madurai bench of Madras High Court that the consecration rituals would be in Tamil and Sanskrit.
Maniyarasan said that he visited the temple on Monday and found Odhuvars were chanting hymns outside the main enclosure in the yagasalai. Only priests chanting Sanskrit mantras were inside the area where the vedhigai (the raised platform with holy water) for each deity and the kundam (the fire pit) were located. “The HR&CE department in its affidavit stated that Odhuvars would be allowed in all the five places including yagasalai, sanctum and kalasam. However this is violated in practice,” he said.
“We have taken up the issue with the Joint Commissioner of HR&CE and the officials said he would look into this,” Maniyarasan said. He further added that the delegation of the committee also impressed upon the officials that Odhuvars should be allowed in the sanctum during the Maha deeparadhanai to be held after consecration.
Officials however, refused to deny or clarify Maniyarasan’s charges. G Thennarasu, joint commissioner of HR&CE department directed Express to contact Babaji Raja Bhonsale, hereditary trustee of Palace Devasthanam which manages the temple.
Bhonsale, in turn told Express to contact S Krishnan, assistant commissioner of HR&CE and manager of the temple. He did not respond to phone calls. HR& CE officials reportedly assured Maniyarasan that two Odhuvars would be taken up to the kalasam of the 216-feet tower during consecration on February 5.
OFFICIALS PLAY ‘PASS THE BUCK’
Express tried contacting officials for a response to Maniyarasan’s statements. However, the Joint Comminssioner of the HR&CE department directed us to the hereditary trustee of Palace Devasthanam, who in turn told us to contact the Assistant Commissioner of HR&CE department. The latter has neither responded to nor returned our calls.